12 words and phrases you're using at work that make you sound dumb

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How you communicate with others at work plays a big role in how you're perceived, your capacity to move projects forward, your ability to generate trust, and how quickly you advance in your career.

"Your ability to articulate your thoughts and ideas well have a direct correlation to how well you garner cooperation and persuade others to support your efforts and projects," she says.

"The words you choose also convey your emotional intelligence."

Your verbal communications can make or break your relationship with your boss, team, clients, business partners, and your industry network. And if you use language that dumbs you down, you may be misunderstood by those around you at work, which can significantly hurt your ability to advance.

"A well-spoken person never goes out of style," says Taylor. "While it can be tempting to use shortcuts when speaking, go into slang mode, or just follow the crowd, you should try not to."

Using the following words and terms can chip away at your professional image, she says. "We're all capable of falling into these traps, but the trick is to catch yourself and avoid making them a habit."

Here are words and phrases we all use from time to time that may be dumbing us down:

'Totally!'

'Legit'

"It just doesn't convey a high degree of intelligence," she says. "You'll be seen as far more credible when you're direct and speak professionally."

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'I know, riiight?!'

"This phrase seems to have lost some of its allure from a couple years ago, thankfully," she says. "Well-meaning people use it and they're trying to be very agreeable. But when it's virtually in every other sentence, it can seem hollow and irritating."

9/

'No worries'

"I have fallen prey to this, and it's not a big offender," Taylor admits. "But when it's used to replace 'you're welcome,' I fear that 'you're welcome' will fade into old English oblivion."